USA, 24.04.2025
It’s like magic, isn’t it? American artist Robert Strati transforms broken porcelain plates into imaginative works of art. His series Fragmented began quite by accident—when he dropped a plate inherited from his wife’s mother. Instead of discarding the pieces, he was inspired by the idea of the pattern extending beyond the plate’s original edges. With pen and a sharp eye, Strati arranges the fragments on canvas and draws intricate designs between them, seamlessly continuing the original motifs.
Strati’s work has been shown in both the U.S. and abroad, including exhibitions in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Columbus, and New York. Take a closer look at his art.
Can you tell me about the projects and your work?
“Fragmented” began when my wife accidentally broke a plate that had belonged to
her late mother. Instead of throwing it away, I kept one of the large fragments and left
it on our kitchen island. At some point, I noticed how the fragment seemed to suggest
a new story — and I took it into my studio to begin working. The process of something
breaking often involves loss, and that loss can be painful. But I’ve found that there’s a
point where we can begin to rebuild — where something new can emerge. Each piece
I create tells a story that moves beyond the break, revealing how, even through chaos,
we can find hope and transformation. For me, this work is about honoring the past while also letting go of it — making space to continue our stories and create something new.
What inspires you?
Discovering new things in unexpected places - that can be a detail in a plate I hadn’t
noticed or a new trail out skiing with my son. There is always something new to learn
and worlds open up when you do.
What does paper mean to you?
I have learned a lot about paper in the past few years working on this series -
size, quality, texture - there are nuances to one type of paper that can make it a
completely different material from another and navigating those differences can
make for very different experiences in process and outcome. There is a story of how
Indigenous peoples of the Arctic — particularly the Inuit — have many different words
for ”snow” because there are many kinds of snow that need to be understood in those
cultures — paper can be like that.
What are you currently working on?
I just shipped work to St. Louis for an exhibition opening on April 12 at Duane Reed
Gallery, also shipped work to the Studio Shop Gallery in Silicon Valley for the San
Francisco Art Fair opening April 17-20. I am working on new pieces for Cavalier Ebanks
Gallery in Nantucket for the summer season as well as work for a solo exhibition
in Columbus, Ohio opening on my birthday, June 8. In the fall I will be having a solo
show at FREMIN Gallery in NYC and another solo in Savannah GA at the Ships of
the Sea Maritime Museum.
